2024 Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize Shortlisted Books
The Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize is awarded annually for the best independently published book (fiction, poetry, and non-fiction). The Prize is open to African independent writers resident on the continent and in the diaspora.
The Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize is managed by Mystery Publishers, a Kenyan premier pan-African independent publisher with a bias toward African speculative fiction and genre/pop literature stories.
The Prize aims to recognise quality self-published books with unique and extraordinary stories addressing current and future Africa (Afro-currency and Afro-futurism) for books at most three (3) years old since publication.
The 2024 winner shall receive Ksh 20,000, scholarships to select creative writing courses at Mystery Creative Writing Training Institute and a book distribution offer to all Mystery Publishers distribution channels.
Genre: Fiction/Novella
Language: English
Year Published: 2024
Cheche Chepchirchir is your typical teen in high school who lives alone with her widower dad—a dedicated man building his boda business—but she has an assuming talent for running. Cheche is known as the ‘Pocket Rocket’ for her ability to whizz past her rivals in races, though now she is steadily coming up against the greatest runners in the district, region, and then nationals—with her dream being to go and compete overseas at the International Junior Races in Canada.
But Cheche gets more than she bargained for when she stumbles across well-laid plans for a deadly arson at her school. She is also about to get a brand new stepmother in their house.
From the explosive provincial races on the track and in the field to the streets of Eldoret where funny men hang around, to the grasslands around where she practices, not knowing hungry hyenas lurk in wait, in the end, Cheche may have to run harder and longer than she ever has in her entire life to try and save lives. Will the Pocket Rocket make it, or will she be burned out?
Genre: Poetry
Language: English
Year Published: 2023
Joe’s Collectanea documents the flexibility in the authors attempt to tell unique stories and narrate real experiences through poems. Each poem derives its meaning from the writer’s understanding of how to juxtapose words for the said purpose of writing. All poems included in this collectanea are regarded as a narrative approach in drafting poems.
Genre: Fiction/Novel
Language: English
Year Published: 2023
ONE Mysterious belt in an antique shop in London is a compass to secret caves of the Amalek tribe in Sibiloi, Northern Kenya.
FOUR Researchers want to unravel the truth: biologist Dr Martha Watkins, anthropologist Jim Trevor, and archeologists Dr Paul Brando from California, US, and Professor Simiyu from Kenya.
TWO Extremist organisations want the truth buried forever: a religious sect and a terror organisation.
Deep in the caves of Sibiloi in Turkana, Kenya, is the answer that has evaded researchers for ages: Sibiloi holds secrets of the genesis of humanity.
Genre: Non-fiction/Religion
Language: English
Year Published: 2022
The reason the Holy Spirit prompted the writer of the book of Acts to capture Apostle Peter’s testimony that he and fellow apostles—the people who had been charged with the responsibility of taking the Gospel to the utmost part of the world—did not have silver or gold is because God wanted to prove that it is He who would accomplish the humanly impossible task through them. No challenge, including lack of money, can stand in the way of what God wants to do through you if you yield yourself to His use.
In this book, we get a rare peek into a family that has had reason to abandon church work and engage in more financially rewarding enterprises but resisted the temptation to do so because of the burden that they have for souls. It also contains a chapter in which the author shares her experience in an effort to help the girl-child navigate through the challenges of life today.
Genre: Non-fiction/General
Language: English
Year Published: 2020
Like many others, our nation is an anxious country, a people desperate for answers concerning the problems facing the youth. Soon, about a million young people will be getting into the job market every year to compete for the few places that remain after the IT-fuelled changes have revolutionized the workplace and in the backdrop of an economy shrunk by the negative effects of trying to contain infections of Coronavirus disease. Despite this, a society that is still traditional at heart expects the boy-child to perform well in school, get a good job, buy land in the countryside shortly after, buy a house in the city and a big car, fund a big wedding after paying a hefty dowry and live happily ever after while raising children and serving his community.
Whenever this does not happen—it hardly ever does—the result is a disillusioned young man who is wallowing in self-pity and a toxic mix of other negative emotions. The dissatisfying circumstances and anxiety concerning the future have seen many in this age group turn to alcohol and drugs for solace, with disastrous results.
This book seeks to familiarize the reader with the reality on the ground and how he or she and other social agents can help change the young man’s attitude to save him from self-destructive tendencies and, if possible, guide him on how to navigate today’s volatile socio-economic environment. Everyone has a role to play in giving young people hope if we are to realize the harmonious society we have been talking about for so long.